Curative radiotherapy following chemotherapy for invasive bladder carcinoma (a preliminary report)

Abstract Twenty-five patients with invasive transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder (Stage T 2 , T 3 , T 4 ) received combined modality therapy using four cycles of methotrexate, vinblastine, adriamycin, and cisplatin (MVAC) chemotherapy followed by surgery or radiation therapy (RT). Sixteen patients had complete (N = 8) or partial (N = 8) response to MVAC. Curative RT was delivered to 11 responders with T 2 or T 3 disease and to 2 patients with T 4 disease. All 11 with T 2 and T 3 disease are currently alive, 7 with normal bladder function. The two with T 4 disease are dead of disease. Three patients required salvage cystectomy for local recurrence and one patient had cystectomy for bladder stones. Follow-up ranged from 11 to 50 months with a median of 31 months. No late chemo-radiotherapy treatment-related complications to the intestines or in bladder function (other than one bladder stone formation) occurred. These preliminary results are encouraging and warrant further evaluation of this innovative approach in treating invasive carcinoma of the bladder. T 2 and T 3 patients with a complete or partial response to MVAC may be excellent candidates for a bladder-sparing treatment.